US President Barack Obama will nominate Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as next US ambassador to China. Locke would replace the current ambassador, Jon Huntsman, who is stepping down on April 30 and is considering a run for president. Locke's appointment will need confirmation by the US Senate. Locke became the first Chinese-American Commerce Secretary when he joined the Obama administration in 2009. He is a former governor of Washington state. (China Daily, 3/8/2011)